Subject: An urgent Appeal “Stop the Israeli escalation and the killing of the Palestinian civilians in Gaza Strip”

The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Right (ICSPR) sends you this humanitarian appeal, in order to urge you, in accordance with your legal mandate, to act urgently and immediately to force the Israeli occupation forces to stop the military escalation and its extensive military operations in Gaza Strip, which targets – until the moment – a number of security locations, agricultural lands and open areas in different parts of Gaza Strip, as well as to stop the killing of the Palestinian demonstrators, who exercise their right to peaceful demonstration and their right to return guaranteed under international law.

Since the early hours of Friday, July 20, 2018, the Israeli warplanes and artillery shelled several agricultural lands, open areas and security locations, which led to the killing of four Palestinians, three of them killed by a shell, and the fourth was killed during his participation in the marches of the return, in addition to the injury of 210 Palestinian demonstrators, about 80 of them were distributed to hospitals in Gaza Strip, and 130 were treated in the field clinics.

The Israeli warplanes have launched nearly 40 air strikes targeting security locations throughout Gaza Strip governorates, most of them are close to residential communities, accompanied by a number of threats stated by Israeli officials, who call for a large-scale attack on Gaza Strip, which raises concern that the current escalation is a prelude to a broader aggression under the silence of the international community.

The Israeli escalation, which is the third of its kind in a few days, where on Saturday, 14 July 2018, Israeli warplanes attacked a building under construction belonging to the National Library, the building is adjacent to a park and a green area for children and parents, which led to the killing of two children, Amir Al-Nimra (15 years) and Louai Kahil (16 years), and 25 civilians were injured.

The heavy shelling caused serious and moderate damage to Al-Qatiba Mosque, the Ministry of Justice, and a number of shops and residential towers, which is usually at this time full of pedestrians and hikers. This crime came in the context of an Israeli escalation began on Friday evening, 13/07/2018, where the Israeli occupation forces began dozens of airstrikes targeting security locations, agricultural lands and open areas in various governorates of Gaza Strip.

Moreover, last week has witnessed a new Israeli crime as a part of tightening the Israeli siege on Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation forces announced on Monday 16 July 2018 that the Kerem Shalom crossing has been completely closed and that only some food, medicine and medical supplies are allowed to enter Gaza with special permission.

According to the new decision, the Israeli occupation forces reduced the distance to sea fishing on the coast of Gaza Strip to three nautical miles instead of six miles. On Tuesday, 10 July 2018, the Israeli occupation authorities decided to partially close the Kerem Shalom crossing and deny the entry of goods into Gaza Strip, with the exception of some humanitarian goods (including food and medicine). The previous decision also imposed a total ban on the export and marketing of all goods from Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation has justified its new measures as a response to what it calls the burning kites and balloons towards the areas adjacent to Gaza Strip.

The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Right (ICSPR) warns that these attacks are a prelude to a broader aggression that only the Palestinian civilians will pay its price, in the shadow of the continued silence of the international community. Therefore, ICSPR calls upon you to work to undermine the Israeli plans aimed at shedding the blood of innocent civilians and peaceful demonstrators in Gaza Strip, and to stand against the implementation of the law of the jungle and to work hard to discourage Israel and its military forces from continuing the policy of killing civilians and targeting their civilian property, and also urges you to support the rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is their right to return and their right to self-determination, as it is at the heart of the international law.